The 49ers are where the Raiders were three years ago – drastically undermanned, in the midst of unrelenting losing, and with Fort Knox-like money under the salary cap. Obviously, the 10-2 Raiders have made the right moves in hiring coach Jack Del Rio, drafting players like Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, and acquiring players like …

(12-29) 22:50 PST — They have one lame-duck coach, two victories and are on their third starting quarterback of the season.
But Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis initially offered four words this week when asked if his injury ravaged, 2-13 team would… …

(12-29) 22:50 PST — Despite his head coach’s determined campaign, Alex Smith did not make the Pro Bowl this week. But the 49ers’ quarterback remains a nominee for an even more intriguing – and, at the same time, nonsensical – honor.
When the NFL Pl… …

Swain, 26, a seventh-round pick of the Packers in 2008, was cut by Green Bay on Aug. 28 and returned home to San Diego. He considered whether his NFL playing days might be over – the same thought he had when he suffered a torn ACL while covering a kickoff return on Oct. 25, 2009, against the Browns. …

Edwards arrived in San Francisco with charges for DUI and aggravated disorderly conduct on his record. He had no known issues and off the field with the 49ers and was a positive presence, according to several of his ex-teammates. …

As part of his duties as a member of the 49ers’ practice squad this season, rookie wide receiver Joe Hastings has assumed the jersey number and playing style of a wideout San Francisco’s secondary would face that week.
This week, it appears Hastings, w… …

According to a source, the 49ers have told at least one former NFL wide receiver they might be in touch after the regular season depending on how their in-house replacement, presumably Hastings, fares against the Rams. Hastings was not wearing a practice-squad jersey today in practice and John Matthews, the other in-house candidate for the spot, said he thought Hastings would get the promotion. …

The 49ers had six players named Pro Bowl starters Tuesday, which is more than they had in any of their five Super-Bowl-winning seasons. It matches the 1971 Niners for the most Pro Bowl starters in franchise history. …

With the NFC’s No. 2 seed yet to be secured, the 49ers have plenty of motivation entering their regular-season finale on Sunday at St. Louis. But what on earth will the Rams – a 2-13 team on a six-game losing streak – be playing for? …

In early August, the 49ers signed Braylon Edwards to an incentive-laden, one-year contract worth $1 million in base salary, a pittance for a big-bodied receiver with Edwards’ resume.
As it turns out, San Francisco got what it paid for.
The unproductive… …

The 49ers received good news Tuesday when eight of their players were named to the NFC’s 43-man Pro Bowl roster.
Now, they’ll hope for better news next month: that those players will be busy preparing for another game when the Pro Bowl is played Jan. 2… …

The six Pro Bowl starters matches the most the 49ers have had in franchise history. They also had six starters in 1971. San Francisco and New England, which also had eight players selected, have the most Pro Bowlers of any NFL team this season and the Niners’ eight Pro Bowlers are their most since they had 10 in 1995. …

Tight end Delanie Walker won’t play Sunday at St. Louis, and his availability for the playoffs is in doubt after he sustained what is believed to be a broken jaw in the 49ers’ 19-17 win over the Seahawks on Saturday.
“He’s going to be out for a period … …